You're So Lame

(Chuck runs in hollering and making high pitched noises like Bruce Lee, then suddenly hunches over and grabs his back)

Leader: Chuck! What are you doing?

Chuck: (as if he can’t hear) What??

Leader: (louder) I said, “What are you doing?”

Chuck: What are you saying?

Leader: (screams) I SAID “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Chuck: You don’t have to scream at me! I hear you just fine! Yellin’ at an old man, what’s wrong with your brain?

Leader: Old man? What are you talking about? I was just wondering how you’re doing, that’s all!

Chuck: Oh, youngin’, I’m not doing no good, no good at all! Chuck has gone beyond his expiration date!

Leader: What are you talking about?

Chuck: I’ve gotten too old! God can’t use me to do nothing anymore!

Leader: Chuck, that’s silly! You’re still very young. You’re not too old to be used by God.

Chuck: Really? I’ve got all kind of ailments goin’ on! God don’t want no broken merchandise!

Leader: What could possibly be so bad that God can’t use you anymore?

Chuck: Well first off, I got bad knees!

Leader: I don’t believe that. Bend your knees as far as they can go.

Chuck: Okay. (stands still and doesn’t bend his knees at all)

Leader: Chuck, you’re supposed to bend your knees.

Chuck: I am! My joints are jacked up worse than China in a bull shop!

Leader: I think you mean a bull in a china shop.

Chuck: That’s what I said! And that’s not all! My teeth are too big to fit my mouth! The other day a farmer tried to feed me some oats because he thought I was his horse!

Leader: Chuck!

Chuck: And I hurt! My bones just start hurtin’ every time I hear the doorbell ring!

Leader: Chuck! Stop! Listen, I know you’re getting older, and you may not be perfect, but that doesn’t mean God still can’t use you!

Chuck: What are you talkin’ about?

Leader: Don’t you see? Just because you have stuff that’s wrong with you doesn’t make God any less powerful! Think about the disciples! They weren’t perfect at all, but God still used them to do his will! God has a plan for your life, whether you’re short, or tall, rich, poor, young, old, whatever it is! He made you just the way you are and is going to use you! All you have to do is be willing! God will use you to do SUPER things for Him!

Chuck: Ooh, I can definitely do that! I’m gonna go pray and ask God to use me right now!

Leader: Okay, I’ll see you later!

Chuck: BYE BYE!

(hold up the wad of cash) How many of you would love for me to walk up to you and give you this money? (allow the kids to respond) I figured you would. Well, what if you were really short on money, how much MORE would you want me to give this money to you? (allow the kids to respond) Now, imagine that you are a poor beggar with no money at all. How much more would you want me to give you this money? BIG TIME, right?

In today’s Bible Lesson, we find a man who is a lame beggar.

Lame means that he could’t walk. In fact, he had never been able to walk. The Bible tells us that this man had been crippled since birth. He had never walked, he’d been crippled his entire life. He had always been a beggar, and would always be a beggar. Every single day this man would get up in the morning, wait for someone to come pick him up, get carried to the spot he sat at in front of the temple gate, wait for someone to pick him up, go home and go to bed.

This guy had done nothing, all he had ever done was sit in front of the temple gates asking for people’s money. The people who walked by him every day saw this guy as completely useless. Most likely, they had learned to walk by him and ignore him completely.

One day, Peter was walking with another disciple, John. They were headed to the temple where this lame beggar sat each day.

When the lame man saw Peter and John approaching, he called out to them. “Please, sirs! Can you please give me some money? I am lame, and can’t walk. Can you spare some money?”

Peter and John did something that most people didn’t expect. Peter looked at the man and said “Look at us”. When most people wouldn’t even LOOK at the lame man, Peter and John actually spoke to the guy. They saw him as someone who was important, and they wanted to minister to him. They teach us our first lesson in this story.

It’s so easy for us to walk past people who are hurting. We see kids sitting alone in the cafeteria at school, and we often walk right past them. We see someone on the playground who has no friends, and we ignore them. That’s not what someone who follows Jesus should do, is it? We must remember that EVERY person matters to God. We all have a soul that God created. We must take time to show God’s love to every person, especially those around us who are hurting.

Peter and John did what very few people would do. They stopped to talk to the lame beggar. Instantly they saw an opportunity—a chance for God’s power to be displayed.

Peter looked at the man and said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Now, remember this guy has been crippled his entire life. He has never walked before. He’s never learned how to walk, never walked, he doesn’t even have the muscles to be able to walk. Why would Peter tell this guy to get up and walk?

Let’s look at what happens next. Peter reached out his hand instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.

He jumped to his feet and began to walk, and jump around, and praise God.

How amazing is that? This guy has never walked before in his life and instantly he jumped to his feet and begins walking. I imagine this guy running laps around the temple, doing jumping jacks, dancing, doing everything he has never been able to do. God used Peter to heal this man, and do you know what...

It wasn’t Peter’s super powers that healed the man, was it? No! It was God’s SUPER power working through Peter. Did you know that God uses ordinary people today to do SUPERnatural things for Him? It’s true. He is looking for boys and girls who believe and are willing to be used by Him. If God can use Peter, He can use you! When you see a need that seems WAY too big for you to handle, God sees a situation where he can use you in a supernatural way. We can do anything with God’s help.

Now, I want you to think about something. Did Peter and John know when they headed for the temple that God would use them to heal a lame beggar? Probably not. Even more, did the lame beggar wake up that day and say, “I think I’m going to walk today.” Probably not. There was nothing that seemed special about the day—and yet it was a special day that God had an amazing miracle planned.

You never know when God will use you to do SUPER things for Him. You have to be ready at all times. You have to expect Him to use you EVERY DAY. Today may be the day God uses you in a SUPERnatural way!

Some of you might be thinking, “I am just like this lame man in the story. I feel like I have no hope. I’m completely helpless. The stuff I am going through is just too big! The problems I have are just too big!” Well, today could be your day for a miracle. The lame man had no clue that he was about to be healed, and he was. It doesn’t have to be a physical healing. Maybe your parents got a divorce and you still feel the pain. Perhaps a bully at school has hurt you badly, or you haven’t made the best grades at school and you feel like you’ll never make it. God can take care of any situation, heal any hurt, pain, and problem you face. Today could be the day for a miracle in your life.

1. What was today’s Big Idea?

   • Answer: “God Can Use Me To Do SUPER Things For Him!”

2. What was the name of the karate instructor who visited us today?

   • Answer: Chuck Foo

3. What disciple are we learning about in this series?

   • Answer: Peter

4. What was wrong with the man who was begging at the temple gate?

   • Answer: He was lame (crippled)

5. What did the man ask Peter and John to give him?

   • Answer: Money

6. According to our lesson today, “Every Soul Matters To _________.”

   • Answer: God

7. According to our lesson today, “God Will Use Me In __________ Ways.”

   • Answer: Supernatural

8. According to our lesson today, “_________ Could Be The Day For A Miracle.”

   • Answer: Today

9. What did the lame man do after he was healed?

   • Answer: walked, jumped, and praised God

10. Where was our Power Verse found?

    • Answer: Ephesians 2:10